Chapter 14 - Campus Breach
Marcus slammed the brakes, throwing the car into park the moment we reached the university library’s front steps. We sprinted through the heavy glass doors, Elias hot on our heels with his hand resting casually inside his jacket, near his concealed holster.
The library was massive, a maze of tall oak bookshelves and quiet study rooms. I frantically dialed Mia’s number, praying she would pick up.
"Mom?" Mia answered on the second ring, her voice hushed.
"Mia, do not move. Do not look out the windows. We are in the lobby right now, where are you?" I demanded, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to stay calm.
"I am on the third floor, north wing, near the history section," she replied, suddenly sounding very alert. "What is going on?"
Before I could answer, a loud crash echoed from the third floor, followed by the sound of shattering glass and a student screaming.
Marcus and Elias didn't wait for the elevators. They bolted up the central staircase, taking the steps three at a time. I rushed after them, my heart hammering violently against my ribs.
When we burst onto the third floor, chaos had erupted. A heavy-set man in a dark leather jacket was aggressively pushing his way through a crowd of terrified college students, making a direct line for the north wing. It was not Victor, but it was clearly someone working for him.
Mia, incredibly brave and deeply perceptive, had not waited for us to reach her. When she heard the glass break, she had immediately triggered the high-decibel personal alarm attached to her keychain and deployed a heavy blast of pepper spray directly into the face of a second man who had tried to grab her arm.
The man was currently screaming on the floor, clawing at his burning eyes.
Elias tackled the heavy-set man in the leather jacket, slamming him brutally into a heavy wooden bookshelf. Marcus rushed forward and pulled Mia into a tight, protective embrace.
Campus security arrived seconds later, drawing their tasers and taking control of the two hired thugs. I held Mia’s face in my hands, checking her for injuries. She was shaking, but she was entirely unharmed.
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"They tried to force me toward the fire exit," Mia whispered, her eyes wide with shock. "They said my grandfather sent them."
Elias handcuffed his suspect and handed him over to the campus police. He walked over to us, his expression grim. "Victor didn't come himself. He hired local muscle to snatch her, which means he is still keeping a low profile to avoid violating his parole. We need to go on the offensive before he decides to do the dirty work himself."
